J.R. Martinez Bio

the 411

J.R. Martinez entered the Army in 2002 and was deployed to Iraq in 2003. Two months into his deployment, the Humvee he was driving struck a landmine. He suffered severe burns over 40 percent of his body. He recovered in Texas at a military hospital, where over the course of over two years he underwent over 30 surgeries, including skin grafts. At the urging of a nurse, Martinez began to share his story with other patients, and ultimately, he became a motivational speaker, eloquently using his expriences to help and inspire others. He answered the call when AMC sought to cast the role of Brot with a real-life vet, but remains active in charity work alongside his Pine Valley duties.